Hazardous Waste Drop-Off This Weekend

The city of Baltimore will hold its first Hazardous Waste Drop-Off event at the new containment facility at the Northwest Citizen Convenience Center this weekend. On Friday, November 4th, and Saturday, November 5th, city residents can drop off hazardous materials from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new Center is located at 2840 Sisson Street:



Hazardous household materials that will be collected include:

• oil-based paints
• pesticides
• herbicides
• household batteries
• drain cleaners
• gasoline
• pool chemicals

 (They remind us that latex paint can be dried up and the cans put out for regular trash collection.)

The site will not be collecting: asbestos, ammunition, fire extinguishers, industrial and medical wastes and radioactive materials, including smoke alarms with a radioactive symbol. You'll need to show proof of city residency, such as a driver's license, telephone bill or tax bill, before you'll be allowed to drop off items.

Oh for art's sake!

I am shamelessly posting the following information verbatim from the School 33 Art Center Facebook page.

Art galleries, restaurants & pubs will be open for business to help feature some of the local artists in the community. Plan to spend an evening on Harford Road to visit a gallery, enjoy dinner at one of our award winning restaurants (many require reservations), attend a live performance or warm up to a fire while enjoying some outdoor music at 4500 Harford Road!

Gallery Walk
6:00 Wine & Cheese reception at Performance Workshop Theatre 5426 Harford Road, 410-659-7830

6:30 Dance demonstration at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts 5543 Harford Road, 443-438-4525

7:00 Gallery walk begins - visit several art events at:

•  Studio 55 - 5529 Harford Road - 410-444-0022
• Hamilton Gallery - 5502 Harford Road
• Hamilton Arts Collective - 5440 Harford Road
• Hamilton Bakery - 5414 Harford Road, 410-254-0797
• Charmed Life Studio - 4505 Harford Road, 443-962-4634
• Live music at 4500 Harford Road

For dinner, please make dinner reservations prior to October 21st :

• Koco's Pub, 4301 Harford Road, 410-426-3519
• The Chameleon, 4341 Harford Road, 410-254-2376
• Clementine, 5402 Harford Road, 410-444-1497

No reservations required at:

• Chef Mac and All That Blues, 4709 Harford Road, 410-319-6227
•  Lauraville House, 4528 Harford Road, 410-444-6664
•  Zeke's Coffee, 4607 Harford Road, 410-254-0122
•  Hamilton Tavern, 5517 Harford Road, 410-426-1930
•  Los Amigos, 5506 Harford Road, 410-444-4220
•  Lost in the 50's, 5512 Harford Road, 410-254-1639
• Big Bad Wolf, House of Barbeque, 5713 Harford Road, 410-444-6422

Shouldn't they know ...

... who it is that keeps stealing their letters?

Fire Pit? Did someone say Fire Pit?

Yesterday morning I was sitting on the #19 bus, waiting at the light at Harford Road and Hamilton Avenue, when I noticed a sign in the window of the Hamilton Gallery that read "Putting the Charm in Charm City." That made me smile, because we really do have a nice little neighborhood here in Northeast.

And one of the really exciting things is that there's such a creative energy here, in all kinds of directions. From art, to food, to music, to crops. And everything in between. Next Friday, October 21, there will be an evening-long event which should have something for just about everyone. The "Art Crawl and Party" is part of Baltimore City's annual citywide event, going on for over 20 years. But this year, the Lauraville-Hamilton neighborhood has the honor of kicking off the whole dang thing. The Hamilton - Lauraville Main Street News has more info, including a schedule of events. Starting at 6 pm, there is a wine and cheese reception at Performance Workshop, followed by a gallery walk (please stop by the Chop Shop to see my friend Mary's artwork!), followed by an "Art Pit Party" at the Connection 4500 Harford Road.

See you there?

Are you ready for your close-up?

Calling all future homeowners:  Here's your chance to get on teevee!

From the press release that landed in my mailbox:

MY FIRST PLACE, HGTV’s hit series, is coming back for an eleventh season and we’re looking for first-time homebuyers (and their agents!) in the Baltimore area RIGHT NOW!

We are looking for fun, high-energy people who are just starting the home-buying process for their first place and would like to share their story with HGTV

You've seen the shows, I'm sure. Usually they seem to be set in sunny L.A. But wouldn't it be fun to watch a young naive buyer stumble onto some of the treasures in our neighborhood?! So if you have friends or family who might be interested, please spread the word. All they need to do is contact Lauren Miles at HGTV for an application:

lmiles@highnoontv.com
or call Lauren Miles at (303) 872-874

And if you do apply, please let me know -- we would love to follow your adventure!

Here, this may help

I tried to remember what this day felt like as I was just out walking the dog. It's kind of hard to remember on this hot July afternoon, but you can almost feel the ice if you close your eyes and imagine real hard ...

Did you lose something?

Um, yeah, we kind of thought those bottle rockets were coming a little close to the house last night. Front doormat is a little close, I'd say. Not my favorite part of 4th of July in Baltimore. The dog's not especially fond of it either.

Hello voters. Are you ready?

I won't tell you how to vote, but you know I'm gonna tell you to vote! And fortunately, (or unfortunately, depending on how the robocalls go), we've got plenty of time to get to know the candidates for all the upcoming elections. There are several announced candidates for Mayor of Baltimore, all of them worth listening to. (Well, except for that goofball Baltimore City Circuit Court clerk Frank Conaway, "the perennial mayoral candidate," as the Baltimore Sun politely calls him.)

One serious candidate worth listening to is Otis Rolley. He's said some interesting things about promoting neighborhood revitalization and sustainability, and making city government more accountable.  BmoreLocal will be hosting a "meet & greet" with Rolley tomorrow, July 1 at Atomic Books in Hampden. I don't like to send people out of the neighborhood on First Friday, but maybe we can sneak to Hampden at 7 pm and make it back for a drink at Hamilton Tavern afterwards?

Now, if only there was a serious candidate running against Councilman Curran, maybe we would actually see those road improvements in Westfield that he always promises at the neighborhood meetings, instead of  living in the limboland that exists on Harford Road between the revitalized sidewalks and roadways of Hamilton and Parkville ...

18th Annual Hamilton Street Festival & Car Show Set for July 30

Hard to believe it's been a year already since the last festival, but the good folks down at the Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street are gearing up for another great time. If you're interested in signing up to be a vendor, there are forms to fill out -- you can download them at the Hamilton-Lauraville Festival Forms page.

Last year I got there a little late in the day, but there were still plenty of choices for food and beverage, and lots of great music on stage. 

Make plans to attend -- you won't regret it!

UPDATED:
Hamilton-Lauraville Main Street News has the flyer on their website with more details and some, um, "interesting" patrons. Click here to see the flyer.

Thinking of Spring makes me hungry!

Sorry about the lack of posting the past month. Between work/school/weather/ and the flu, I haven't felt much inspiration. But fortunately for us, others have, and we can look forward to some exciting new places to appear in Hamilton this Spring.

The first new business is Hamilton Bakery. Go their website and sign up to get on their mailing list for updates and invites to special events. They are currently getting all their permits finalized and finishing up construction, so hopefully we'll be deep in doughnuts soon! (You can also follow them on Facebook by searching under "Hamilton Bakery" to find out the latest updates.) They will be next to Clementine, at 5414 Harford Rd.

Speaking of Clementine, owner Winston Blick is opening a green grocery in Hamilton this Spring as well, to be called Green Onion. Described as a "bona fide food market," and write on their blog:

Soon, amazing local cheeses will appear in two grand cases, and crisp, ripe produce will fill the bins at Green Onion. The folks at Fresh McKenzie are ramping up their egg production to accommodate us. And we’re meeting with our meat purveyor to choose the best-tasting all-natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats for our butcher shop. Forever Endeavor Farm will supply grass-fed organic beef and milk-fed pork, which has a sweetness and fullness that can be explained by science but is better to think of as magic.

I don't know about you, but I'm hungry! Green Onion will be located in the old Hamilton Vacuum store, at the corner of Hamilton and Harford. (Again, you can stay up-to-date on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greenonionmarket.)

image from the greenonion website

Hon -- It's Your Turn to Speak

You may have noticed that we haven't really commented on the "Hon" story here at Harford Road. It seems the story keeps evolving, with details and facts dribbling out in the press. Does Denise Whiting have a trademark on the word "hon"? Can she have a trademark on the word "hon"? Or is it on "hon" in an oval? So then what about that Outer Banks guy? The best article I've read to date is from the blog Welcome to Baltimore Hon! The author provides a rational and reasoned explanation of whether, why, and how the trademark story is possible. I encourage you to read it.

I've been to Cafe Hon a couple of times in my life, but not in years. My personal boycott has simply been due to food that I found overpriced and nothing special. And I admit that I've also been to HonFest a couple of times, but I always felt a little uncomfortable about whether this was "celebration" or "ridicule" of Baltimore.  Not being a native, it seemed to me that a line was often crossed. Or at least approached. Closely enough to be cringe-worthy, in my opinion.

No, I'm not originally from Baltimore, but I have lived here for 13 years. The reason why I thought up the title for this blog is that "hon" seemed to embrace the sense of neighborliness and community that I have felt since I moved to my current home in 2003. It's what drew me here and what keeps me here, despite the break-ins, lack of snowplows, and massive potholes that killed my car.

But what do you think about all this "hon" business? Please tell me in the comments.

Got yer tree, Hon?

I figured I'd better get a post up here, 'lest you think we're hunkering down over the whole "Hon-troversy" !

We still need to get a Christmas tree and I'm thinking about going to Walther Gardens, because I do like to support the local business folks. We always go there for our spring and summer plants, and I imagine its hard to run a greenhouse in December, so ...

How about you? Do you have a tree? Are you ready for Christmas?

Meanwhile, it sounds like we might get some of that white stuff Sunday night or Monday, so be prepared -- which means more than beer/merlot and bread, right? It means put gas in the car, have fresh batteries on hand, know where your snow shovel is, and have enough food on hand to stay put for a couple of days.  One would think we'd all learned our lesson last year, but how quickly we forget!

Hamilton's got the blues! (And that's a good thing!)

I do tend to stick to my routine (some may call it a "rut"), and therefore I have never eaten anything from "Chef Mac's Louisiana Cuisine". (Because I always think of the place only when I am already on my way in the door to Koco's!).  But I will definitely be giving it a try soon, because he's moved further north to the space previously used by The Parkside (and before that by the infamous Cameo!).

And while I will never lose my love for the Koco's cheeseburger and Blue Moon dinner, Chef Mac's might be a nice change of pace, given that he's offering a venue for music. According to Hamilton-Lauraville Mainstreet News, they're serving blues along with the Cajun BBQ sandwiches:

Chef Mac’s & All That Blues
4709 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214

December 10 & 11, 2010
Enjoy a Louisiana style buffet and blues party with

Clarence “Bluesman” Turner

Tickets - $20
Buffet begins 7 PM - BYOB
Show begins 8 PM

Call 410.319.6227 for information

Anyone going?

One reason I love where I live

Hamilton Tavern, and Resurrection Ale on tap.

Delivery?

So we had a less than stellar experience the other night when we ordered delivery from a new (to us) place. It took an hour on a week night, and when we called to inquire about the status of the delivery, the woman who answered simply said "All the deliveries are gone" and hung up on us. Guess she doesn't like repeat customers, and we're happy to oblige.

Surely you have a favorite delivery place on those nights when you're just too beat to cook dinner. If you know of someplace that I didn't include on the poll, please let us know.

image by frankstoen

First Fridays in Hamilton

(image: The Hamilton Gallery)

It's never too early to start planning for Friday, right? Well, somehow July has already flown by and it's already time for First Friday at the Hamilton Gallery. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have not been in their new space yet -- quit bitchin' and start visitin', right? And if I didn't already have reservations that involve a fishing pole and some wiggly worms, I'd be there this Friday, because I love a good gallery opening!

But for those of you who will be around on Friday, consider stopping by. Here's the info from the Hamilton-Lauraville Mainstreet website:

The Hamilton Gallery Guest Artist Series
Presents Guest Artist Photographer
Tom Snyder

On exhibit until August 31

OPENING RECEPTION
Friday, August 6, 2010
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Get busy Hon, show yer local support!

The blogging is light, but we're still here. I say "we" but I seem to have lost some of my regular contributors over the past year. So let me again put out this invitation to all Harford Road, Hon readers: if you'd like to contribute -- even just occasionally! -- please drop me a line at pookyshoehorn at gmail dot com.

Now on to the good stuff! On December 1 I went to the Westfield Neighborhood Improvement Association holiday party, held at The Parkside Fine Food & Spirits down Harford Road. A lovely time was had by all -- and by "all" I mean the 15 or so people who showed up. If you didn't make it, you missed some great conversation, great food, and great beer.

One thing that really struck me during several conversations was that we really do have a ton of stuff going on in Hamilton these days, and I for one, rarely take advantage of them the way that I should. This weekend promises to be full of opportunities to support local businesses and artists. So let's start reminding each other of what's so great about where we live:

Friday, December 4 – First Friday!

• 5 – 7 pm Holiday Happy Hour at the Chameleon Café (4341 Harford Road) and Holiday Tree Lighting outside with a sing-along by several local talents.

• 6 – 9 pm Hamilton Gallery (2927 Hamilton Avenue) featuring work by local artists.

• 7 pm EggNOGLI at the HAC, (5440 Harford Road, 2nd floor) – enter next to the Hamilton Gallery.

But Wait!! There's More!

Guess who's coming to Hamilton on Saturday, hon?

Saturday, December 5

• 12 noon Santa arrives in a motorcycle side car, strolls on Main Street in Hamilton making his way to The Heart of Hamilton (5523 Harford Road) to pick up letters written to him and take advantage of the 20% shopping discount.

• 1:30 pm Santa then works his way to Lauraville and stops to visit residents at the Harford Gardens Care & Rehab Center at 4700 Harford Road

• 2 pm Join Santa at the Red Canoe Bookstore Café (4337 Harford Road) for some hot spiced cider, discount coupon and to collect more letters for Santa. While you’re there pick up your discount holiday shopping coupon for Studio C Jewelry, on the 2nd Floor of the Red Canoe.

• 2:30 pm Santa will end his day at The Parkside Fine Food & Spirits (4709 Harford Road) for Holiday Photos with Santa. Photos by Soft Touch Photography by Cynthia for a nominal fee.

• 7 pm Top off your off your day with the Donovan Fund classic Christmas musical Meet Me in St. Louis showing at the Little Theater in Lauraville (4321 Harford Road, 2nd floor). All seats must be reserved due to limited seating. Call Chris Muldowney to reserve at 410-366-1980 x271. After the film a discussion is facilitated by Film Professor and Filmmaker, Chris Reed. For information on Donovan Fund and Film series www.fcsmd.org/events/donovan.htm

Many thanks to the wonderful Hamilton Lauraville Baltimore Main Street News for gathering this information!

Tricks or Treats!!! Why Must We Choose?

Click the image to see a bigger version.

Wildlife in the Neighborhood

Spotted recently in Westfield: a Peregrine Falcon:

Unfortunately, we did not get a picture of ours, this photo is from BirdChannel.com. What wildlife have you seen recently?

Deal of the Week

At least, according to Elizabeth Large:

The Deal of the Week

Where: Clementine, 5402 Harford Road, Hamilton

The Deal: Taco Night. Three pork or beef tacos, rice and beans for $10

When: Every Tuesday night, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Call: 410-444-1497

I must confess that I have not been to Clementine's yet. With times being tough and all that, the prices scare me off a little bit. And three tacos, rice and beans for $10 does not actually strike me as much of a "deal," but maybe it is cheap enough to finally entice me there ....